Introduction to Islam

By : Faiza Mubin Alvi

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 Contents
• Islam and Muslims: the terms
• Some Fundamental concepts of
faith
– Concept of God
– Creation and purpose of man on earth
– Guidance from God - prophets and
books
– Concept of accountability on the Day
of Judgement
– The mercy of God 2
Islam & Muslim
• Submission or surrender
• Peace
• Total and complete submission to our
Creator - resulting in inner and outer
peace.
• MUSLIM: one who submits to the
command of God therefore attaining
peace.
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Concept of God
• Allah : the name
• Creator and creation
• Al-Fatihah and Al-Ikhlas
• 99 names
• Closest to us- no intermediaries
• Tawhid and Shirk

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Al- Ikhlas
– The Sincerity,
Oneness Of
Allah
• Say: He is Allah, the
One and Only;
• Allah, the Eternal,
Absolute;
• He begetteth not, nor is
He begotten;
• And there is none like
unto Him.
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Al-Fatihah

In the name of Allah Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

• All praises are due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
• The Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.
• Master of the Day of Judgement.
• You alone do we worship and You alone do we seek help
from.
• Guide us to the straight path.
• The path of those on whom You have bestowed Your
blessings, not of those who have incurred Your wrath
nor those who are astray. 6
Creation of Man
• Universe made subservient to man
• Humans created from a single soul
• Equality of mankind
• Lessons learned in Paradise
– Satan avowed enemy to man
– Humans are prone to sin
– How to attain forgiveness
– Two paths

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O mankind! reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created
you from a single person and created from it his mate,
and from the two of them twain scattered (like seeds)
countless men and women;- reverence Allah, through
whom ye demand your mutual (rights), and (reverence)
the wombs (that bore you): for Allah ever watches over
you.
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Surah 4:1
Purpose of man

• Vicegerent on earth
• To use and not abuse the universe
• To worship him alone- ‘ibadah
• The earth a field for the hereafter

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Guidance from God
• We are promised guidance
• Every nation received
guidance
• Prophets and Books
• Those who follow guidance
shall have no fear nor shall
they grieve
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The Prophets
• Chosen by Allah
• Humans
• Best people of their time
• Made mistakes but no sins
• Same religion different law
• We make no difference between them

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Muhammad (saws)
• A servant and messenger of God
• Born 570, received revelation 610
went to Madinah 622, died 630 CE
• Lived and died within recorded history
• Life and message preserved till today
• The best example to be followed

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The Qur’an
• The very word of God
• Revealed to Muhammad (saws)
through Gabriel over a period of 23
years
• Written down immediately as
revealed
• Preserved as it is in original language
• The miracle of the last Prophet
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Miracles of the Qur’an
• Challenges us to prove it wrong
• Only book not outdated
• Scientific evidence
• Unimitable with a unique
combination of poetry and prose
• Preserved - no editions, no revisions

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Accountability
• Answerable because of freedom of
choice
• Qur’an prompts to think, reflect,
ponder
• Every thought, action and deed
judged
• Complete justice done
• Judged on the basis of faith - we
cannot see inside the hearts 15
The Mercy of God
• God’s mercy surpasses everything
else
• We earn His mercy
• Repentance should be sincere
• God does not need anything from
us
• No change since the day of Adam
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